I just enabled HomeKit on my HA install and discovered a couple things that might help you. 1, you can find the pairing code in the notifications of your HomeAssistant main dashboard. That includes a QR code for quick activation, but i’m having mixed results with that, on mine the qr codes are pointing to incorrect devices, but i’m still troubleshooting.
2, you can filter what HomeAssistant entities or devices you want exposed to HomeKit by editing the configuration.yaml. I followed these instructions - https://siytek.com/adding-homekit-to-home-assistant-made-easy/ - and limited it to just temp sensors and light switches. That cut down on the ‘noise’ in HomeKit quite a lot.
<edit Dec 23, 2021 > See Solution in thread What I am now tackeling is how to have HA see a HK device (the reveres of the above). I am thinking that this is not actually posiable (a two way feed). I think I need to delete the HK device from my HOME in HK. Then start the ‘learning’ process on the device, but instead of using the iPhone to accept the device, I need to use HA via “HomeKit Controler”
1. Put device into pairing mode 2. Add it to HA via the Home Kit Controller integration 3. advertise it to Home Kit via the HASS Bridge Home kit integration
Then the iPhone in HK will see the device (and all the other devices) but I also can advertise the HK device to the Amazon world / Alexa …
NET: Stop adding HomeKit accessories into Apple HK. Add the device into HA, then advertise it to HK… - see solution below
I’m all of 24 hours into HK so take this with a big grain of salt… I believe HK uses a “base station” in a home which the other HK compatible devices pair or associate with. Apple wants this to be like an Apple TV device, but HA is actually functioning as the HK “base station”. I don’t think you’d want it to be your phone, since your phone will leave the house from time to time etc. I think then… tho this part i haven’t confirmed yet … that you could pair your HK-power strip to your HA’s HomeKit? Then HA talks to the power strip via HK, and you talk to HA via the webUI or HK.
On my install i was just getting other HA devices and entities exposed via HK so i’m still figuring this out, but what you’re trying to do sounds achievable.
you are correct on the ‘base’ or the " home hub " the AppleTV or Siri Speakers will become this naturally. If you do not have one then an iOS device will assume the role.
I have all my Insteon Lights fully accessible in Home Kit, the phone can turn them on and off, the Siri speaker can manage them. InteonHub->HA->HK->iPhone
The net is getting new IoT devices (switches plugs etc) that are inexpensive, and that HA can use. Right now, if I pair it with the iPhone then HA can not see the devices.
I hate watching videos for configurations, but the “Tech Tech & More Tech” video solved the flow. As of Dec 23, 2021
Setup
Step 1
Add the HomeKit device to HomeKit.
follow the instructions with the device
for me, this has been QR code scanning
take a picture or write down the QR code/pairing code (8 digits in 2 rows on my devices)
Step 2
Remove from HomeKit. It may seem odd, but step one, program your wifi into the device and associate it with your ‘home’ in HomeKit. This step is to unassociated it from your iOS ‘Home.’
in iOS Home, find the device
Long press
Gear Icon
Delete
Step 3
We are adding the device to HA.
In HA
Add the integration “HomeKit Controller” (not the “homekit”)
During the addition, your device that you just deleted in Step 2 should be there
you will be asked for the pairing code (8 digit code from above) in a format of xxx-xx-xx. You must add the dashes.
Follow the normal device and entity addition
test the device in HA
Step 4
In HA
Add the Integration “Home Kit” [ONCE second device does not need this] - This is a BRIDGE from which your iOS device will see HA devices.
Not going to cover the include exclude, etc., in detail, but you need to include your new device.
the solid recommendation is to exclude everything, then include what you need.
this step should create a QR code for you to scan to add to HomeKit
Step 5
In iOS Home
Scan the QR code offered by HA for the Bridge
follow the HomeKit install, it will be a non-official device
after the bridge is added, the device you included should appear into Home on the iOS device
Summary
Add to Home in HomeKit
Delete from HomeKit
Add to HA via “HomeKit Controller” integration
Let the “HomeKit” integration send the device back to Home in HomeKit on the iOS device
Value
Why do this? The device is in HA will permit HA to control it, send it to Apple, and Other clouds, like Alexa. Now your HomeKit device is Alexa powered.
footnote
I am moving the device from HomeKit on iOS to HA.
I need the eight-digit pairing code, but I have the Bridge setup in HK.
Delete in HK
Add via “Homekit Controller” integration in HA
Include in “Homekit” integration in HA
Finish by tidying up HomeKit in iOS, such as putting things back into rooms.
